Lai rejects subordination in Taiwan speech; China accuses him of seeking independence

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said on October 10 that Taiwan would remain open to exchanges but would not accept subordination, according to South Korean outlets citing Taiwanese media. In a national-day speech in the square in front of the presidential office in Taipei, he accused China of maintaining pressure through military and grey-zone activities aimed at changing the Taiwan Strait's status quo. Lai said stronger defences were intended to deter war rather than provoke it and to ensure dialogue could take place on equal and dignified terms. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 ]

Lai said Taiwan was continuing defence reforms and developing its defence industry through advanced technology. The reports said his administration had set next year's defence budget at a record 1.1225 trillion Taiwan dollars in August. He called for cooperation among democracies in the Indo-Pacific to preserve regional peace and stability. He also said he hoped the United States and China would manage competition through dialogue and reduce the risk of conflict and war. Taiwan valued peace but would not give up its freedom, he said. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]

China's Taiwan Affairs Office rejected Lai's account. Citing Xinhua, the reports said its spokesperson accused Lai of disregarding facts, misleading the public, pursuing Taiwanese independence and exaggerating threats from the mainland. The spokesperson said Lai was encouraging confrontation and relying on external forces to seek independence. China reaffirmed its position that there is only one China and Taiwan is part of it, and said it would uphold the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus. Yonhap and other outlets described the latter as based on the Kuomintang's account of recognising one China with separate interpretations, while noting that Taiwan's governing Democratic Progressive Party does not accept it. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]